Song Meaning
These lyrics plunge us into an immediate, visceral experience: a feeling so intense it's described as "Serious as a heart attack." The speaker is clearly grappling with an overwhelming internal state, one that feels dangerous and all-consuming. There's an urgent, almost breathless quality to this opening.
The core tension here is the profound inexpressibility of this feeling. The speaker explicitly states there's "No device to measure" and "No words can define" what they're experiencing. This isn't just a vague emotion; it's something that defies quantification and articulation, creating a deep sense of frustration and isolation.
The bridge offers a brief, desperate attempt to break free from this linguistic cage. "I mean what I'm trying to say / Is how can I express / Let alone possess?" This shift to a direct, almost conversational plea highlights the speaker's struggle not just to communicate, but also to *control* the feeling. The word "possess" suggests a desire for mastery over this internal chaos, which remains elusive.
Ultimately, the return to the chorus reinforces the inescapable nature of this intense, undefined emotion. The lyrics powerfully convey the *feeling* of being overwhelmed by something unnameable, rather than naming it directly. This focus on the struggle to articulate makes the experience deeply resonant, capturing the raw anxiety of an emotion that refuses to be tamed by language.